(File photo: WRN)
Governor Scott Walker has signed controversial legislation overhauling the state elections agency, the Government Accountability Board.
News of the signing came from a Tweet by Rep. Dean Knudson (R-Hudson), a sponsor of the legislation. Walker’s office has not yet confirmed the bill has been signed, or whether the governor also acted on a bill making numerous changes to state campaign finance laws. The governor had previously said he planned to sign both bills this week.
In a statement, GAB director Kevin Kennedy said the agency and its staff stand ready to work with the administration on the transition to a new system, which will have elections and ethics issues overseen by separate commissions. “We are professionals who care deeply about serving voters, local election officials, candidates and officeholders, and the lobbying community. Our commitment is to ensure continuity of service during the transition,” he said.
Kennedy also added that many questions remain about how the transition will happen. “2016 is a busy Presidential election year, but we will do everything we can to ensure a smooth transition and ensure the new commissions get up to speed.”
NOTE: An updated version of this story can be found here.